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When Pope Francis steps foot in the White House, reports say he'll be greeted not only by the president, but by people who live contrary to Catholic teaching.
"In a time of global upheaval, the Holy Father's message of compassion and human dignity has moved people of all faiths and backgrounds," says Speaker of the House John Boehner. "His teachings, prayers, and very example bring us back to the blessings of simple things and our obligations to one another. We look forward to warmly welcoming Pope Francis to our Capitol and hearing his address on behalf of the American people."
Breitbart News reports the pope's welcoming reception will include Gene Robinson, Mateo Williamson and Vivian Taylor.
Robinson was the first openly gay bishop in the U.S. Episcopal church. He divorced his partner of 11 years in 2003. Williamson identifies as transgender and has been part of a documentary called Owning Our Faith about LGBT Catholics. Meanwhile, Taylor is the director of Integrity USA, which promotes the inclusion of LGBTQ lifestyles in the Episcopal church.
The three are part of a "cross-section of U.S. religious life," which will also include Rev. Samuel Rodriguez and megachurch pastor Joel Hunter, the Associated Press reports.
"I think it's so important that the pope is visiting because his global message is especially important for the United States," Sister Simone Campbell tells the AP. Campell is part of Nuns on the Bus and a pro-abortion advocate. "His message of changing our throwaway culture and to address the crisis of exploitation is really the key to changing our world to be more inclusive in the economy and more caretaking about the earth — and a lot of this policy starts in the U.S."
Pope Francis is to arrive on Sept. 22, according to USA Today.
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